Fish Bytes

Marlins acquire Carlos Lee from Astros

    MILWAUKEE -- The Marlins have acquired first baseman/outfielder Carlos Lee from the Houston Astros for a pair of minor-leaguers, third baseman Matt Dominguez and left-handed pitcher Rob Rasmussen, a source said. The news was first reported by ESPN.com's Buster Olney.

    Lee was removed by the Astros from Wednesday's game.

    Lee is hitting .286 with five home runs and fills an obvious need for the Marlins, who have received disappointing results so far from Gaby Sanchez. The 36-year-old Lee, who played for Ozzie Guillen in 2004 with the Chicago White Sox, has been a steady offensive performer during his 14 big-league seasons.

    Lee, a free agent after this season, recently vetoed a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers but, according to Olney, "has indicated a willingness to play" for the Marlins.

    Even though the Astros have used him exclusively at first base this season, Lee has played left field in the past and could also fit there for the Marlins, who would like to move Logan Morrison to first base. Morrison is dealing with a sore knee that has limited his outfield range and was not in Wednesday's lineup, as a result.

    The slick-fieldling Dominguez, the Marlins' first-round pick (12th overall) in 2007, has been underwhelming offensively. The Astros are picking up the remainder of Lee's $18.5 million salary.

Stanton has MRI on knee, could miss All-Star Game

   MILWAUKEE -- Giancarlo Stanton says he will miss the rest of the Milwaukee series due to a sore right knee and, if he is unable to return to the linup for the weekend series in St. Louis, might not participate in either the Home Run Derby or All-Star Game.

    Stanton and the Marlins are awaiting the results of a MRI, which was performed Tuesday after he was scratched from the lineup. Stanton wasn't in Wednesday's lineup and said he would not play on Thursday, as well, when the Marlins close out their series against the Brewers.

    Depending on the results of the MRI, he said his goal is to play Friday when the Marlins open a series in St. Louis. If he is unable to play in that series, he said it's unlikely he would take part in All-Star festivities. Stanton is the Marlins' only representative to the All-Star team.

    "That would depend on how hitting felt," Stanton said of being in the All-Star Game if he doesn't play in St. Louis. "But it would make more sense (not to play in the All-Star Game). I'll (aim) for this weekend.  Have got to let some swelling and stuff go down, stiffness and whatnot."

    Said Marlins general manager Michael Hill: "Obviously you want him to play for us before he goes play in an exhibition game. It wouldn't be smart (otherwise). We have a long season. If we want to get ourselves back into it, he's a big part of it and you want to make sure he's able to do that."

    Hill said team doctors in South Florida will examine the MRI images, perhaps as soon as today.

    Stanton said he apparently injured his knee somehow in the eighth inning of Monday's game in Milwaukee while standing in right field and flexing his legs and arms in preparation for a possible throw to the plate.

    "I was getting my legs and arms ready, just to throw somebody out, anticipating it, and bending my legs it kind of just locked up on me," Stanton said.

    Stanton said he is going day-to-day to see how the knee responds to treatment.

    "It's one day at a time is pretty important right now to kind of evaluate everything, make sure all is good to go," Stanton said.

     ________________________

     Stanton isn't the only Marlins outfielder dealing with a sore knee. Left fielder Logan Morrison is also dealing with a sore left knee and, with left-hander Randy Wolf going for the Brewers, isn't in the lineup.

     "Lomo's knee is not too good," Guillen said. "He's banged up. I almost took him out of the game yesterday. I was two seconds away from taking him out because it was very uncomfortable watching him play. But he wanted to stay in."

     ________________________

     Closer Heath Bell said he appreciated Guillen for standing up for him in a post-game rant inside the Marlins' clubhouse following Tuesday's 13-12 loss. Bell gave up two-run walkoff homer to Aramis Ramirez in the 10th inning.

     "Ozzie's sticking up for his players, plain and simple," Bell said. "Did it make me feel any better? No. But I totally respect and appreciate what he said. But I blew the game plain and simple. I take full responsiblity and it was my fault that we lost the game because my teammates put us in a good position to win and I threw one bad pitch. I'm the reason that we lost the game. But that's the nature of the beast."

     Guillen said he was trying to show Bell's teammates, the Marlins' front office and the media that Bell was not solely to blame for Tuesday's loss.

     "I was upset because a lot of people were looking at Bell like (he was) a ghost," Guillen said. "Bell gave up one hit and two runs, and all those other (expletive) gave up 16 (hits) and 10 runs, and we're going to blame Bell for that? That's easy to kick the guy in his (expletive) when he's down. I'm not protecting the guy. But it's unfair."

     Guillen said he would become extremely upset if he saw or heard any of Bell's teammates criticize the closer.

     "They better not," Guillen said. "If I see teammates criticize him, they're not going to be on this ballclub anymore. I'm going to make sure I make their life miserable."

     ________________________

         Lineups:

     Marlins: 1. Jose Reyes, ss; 2. Donovan Solano, lf; 3. Hanley Ramirez, 3b; 4. Justin Ruggiano, cf; 5. Omar Infante, 2b; 6. Austin Kearns, rf; 7. Gaby Sanchez, 1b; 8. Brett Hayes, c; 9. Josh Johnson, rhp.

     Brewers: 1. Norichika Aoki, rf; 2. Nyjer Morgan, cf; 3. Ryan Braun, lf; 4. Aramis Ramirez, 3b; 5. Corey Hart, 1b; 6. Rickie Weeks, 2b; 7. George Kottaras, c; 8. Cesar Izturis, ss; 9. Randy Wolf, lhp.

     Umpires: HP -- Dan Bellino; 1B -- D.J. Reyburn; 2B -- Derryl Cousins; 3B -- Ron Kulpa.

The Heath Bell File

    MILWAUKEE -- Heath Bell was charged with his fifth blown save -- and what a doozy it was -- in yesterday's epic 13-12 loss to the Brewers. There was the comeback, the Bell meltdown, and finally Ozzie Guillen's cherry-on-top clubhouse rant to close out a wild one at Miller Park.

     The loss was the fourth one in recent weeks -- and second in as many days -- in which the Marlins appeared to have a relatively solid handle on the outcome, only for it to all slip away somehow (Boston at Fenway, the Cardinals' 9th-inning comeback in Miami and Monday's defeat after building a 5-2 lead on Zack Greinke).

     Bell has had a hand in two of those, but his failures so far this season (today's 81st game takes us to the exact halfway point) extend far beyond his "blown saves." Check out the diary of his downfalls:

    -- April 14 vs. Houston -- Marlins are leading 4-1 in the 9th, but Bell gives up four runs in a 5-4 loss. Blown Save.

    -- April 26 at New York -- Marlins are leading 2-1 in the 9th, but Bell gives up two runs in a 3-2 loss. Blown Save.

    -- May 2 at San Francisco -- Marlins are leading 2-0 in the 9th, but Bell is lifted for Steve Cishek after the Giants score twice to tie it and send game to extra innings. Marlins won 3-2 in the 10th. Not a blown save since Cishek inherited the save situation from Bell.

    -- May 4 at San Diego -- Marlins are leading 8-7 in the 9th, but Bell gives up the tying run. Marlins eventually win 9-8 in the 12th. Blown Save.

    -- May 13 vs. New York Mets -- Marlins are tied 2-2 with Mets in the 9th, but Bell gives up two runs as Mets take the lead. Marlins score six in the bottom of the 9th to pull out victory. Bell, as the pitcher of record, is credited with the win.

    -- May 25 vs. San Francisco -- Marlins take a 7-4 lead into the 9th. But after Giants rally for two runs to trim the lead, Bell is lifted and Cishek is brought in to preserve a 7-6 win.

    -- May 26 vs. San Francisco -- Marins take a 5-2 lead into the 9th. But Bell is lifted for the second straight night when he gives up a run. Choate brought in to preserve 5-3 win.

    -- June 25 vs. St. Louis -- Marlins lead 6-2 in the 9th. But Bell gives up four runs and Cardinals win 8-7 in the 10th. Not a blown save since Bell did not enter in a save situation.

    -- July 3 at Milwaukee -- After overcoming a 9-2 deficit and taking an 12-11 lead in the 10th, Bell gives up a two-run homer to Aramis Ramirez and Marlins lose 13-12. Blown Save.